Guided by the Irish Gods: An Irish Myth, Never Before Told

Author(s): Paul Heron

Series: The Second Renaissance Series Book 1

Irish myths and legends are not real, right? There's no such thing as Bruce's Cave on Rathlin Island, situated on the northeast coast of Ireland. There certainly couldn't be any truth to a 350-year-old curse which has led to one family, seizing control of every world leader on the planet, could there? One lad wishes it wasn't true.

Michael O’Hagan believes he’s just a normal sixteen-year-old Irish boy. He wishes.

Growing up in culturally divided Belfast, he doesn’t like the society he calls home. He escapes the violent reality of Northern Ireland by diving into stories of Irish myths and legends, unaware that he is about to become a part of that world.

Following a life-threatening assault, Michael writes a story as part of a school project. A story he titles: “I Want to Change the World.” Little did he know that he was, in fact, the chosen one and leader of a group of seven young adults - each from a different country - that will not only change the world, but save the world.

The seven are all invited to attend a prestigious University in England, all believing they were there to develop their extraordinary talents which they had been gifted from birth. That was not to be the case. At a local art gallery, they are dragged through a three-dimensional painting to another arena within time and space where they meet an Italian Baroque artist who was murdered in 1665.

Elisabetta Sirani explains to them why she was murdered, and informs them that her murderer’s family has become a secret organisation - cursed for Elisabetta's murder - and is about to take over the world, destroying it in the process. Michael and the rest have a chance to stop the world’s destruction.

Michael quickly comes to realise that he's creating a modern day story that will go down in history as another tale of Irish mythology. Elisabetta sends the seven back to their world as their older selves, with their abilities amplified.

So, on their first day of meeting, these guys are thrust into a set of circumstances and all they have is each other. They must work together – in secret – to stop this cursed organisation. They are all terrified. They cannot contact their families or friends from their home countries because of the danger it poses. An emotional rollercoaster for them all. This story shows the bond complete strangers can develop when the odds are stacked against them.

And for Michael, will he live to regret ever wanting to change the world?